Change

I’m a fan of change. I never used to be.

It’s been a week of change.

Lewis Hamilton became the first mixed-race Grand Prix world champion, followed by Barack Obama being elected the first mixed-race President of America. Had the former not been dealt a stroke of luck on the final lap, it would’ve been different. But the angels were on his side, as they were with the latter. The timing was right, it was meant to be. A new wind of 'change' blew in.

That twist of fate which enabled Hamilton to fulfil his destiny was a fantastic moment. It reminded me of when Goran Ivanisevic won Wimbledon, it meant everything to him and he too fulfilled his dream. The rain that arrived during his semi-final with Tim Henman which helped turn the tide in his favour was possibly a gift from the gods.
Another great moment that ‘changed’ his life.

Great moments surround us all the time. There will be one in my life soon when I ‘change’ into a father.

There have been many other great moments in my betting and racing life – further passages of change. Betting has taught me a lot and will continue to do so, as the current Flat season ‘changes’ into the jumps season. Further great moments await in my betting and racing life – I’m open and ready for them.

The chances one of those moments occuring this weekend are small, not my time. I will be writing the second edition of the Flat book for 2009 on Saturday with the aim of completion prior to Christmas so I can spend some time with our unborn baby - my wife is now a week over. There will be some new introductions to the second edition, including bigger text which I confess is too small in the current jumps book – more ‘change’.

I don’t know if I’ll be betting on Saturday, but those horses which caught my eye when compiling ratings on the Guardian racing desk during Friday can be seen on the Daily Dust website.

Enjoy your weekend, and as the late-comedian Dave Allen used to say ‘may your (gambling) god go with you’.